Mana Shibata’s work as an oboist and cor anglais player is grounded in the belief that music is a space for connection—between people, across cultures, and within the self. Whether performing in an orchestra, teaching a student their first notes, or exploring experimental sounds, Mana approaches her artistry with both deep commitment and generous openness.

 

Born in Japan, Mana grew up in a home where Western classical music filled the air. She was a child actor, ballet dancer, and pianist before discovering the oboe at the age of ten—a moment that felt, in her words, like “everything clicked into place.” The instrument felt so natural to her that within three years, she was admitted to Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, UK, setting her on a lifelong path of musical exploration. She went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, and is now based in Manchester.

 

Mana moves fluently between musical worlds. She has performed with leading orchestras including the Hallé Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra, where she delights in the collaborative discipline and texture of large-scale ensemble playing. As a chamber musician and a founding member of the award-winning Magnard Ensemble, she embraces the intimate, spontaneous dialogue that arises among a smaller group of musicians. And in her work with contemporary ensembles and experimental projects—such as Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, London Sinfonietta, and the Mahogany Opera’s Bow Down—Mana seeks to stretch the boundaries of what music can be.

 

Her approach to education reflects the same values. Mana teaches the oboe to students of all ages, from school children to adults, in both private and institutional settings. As Lead Woodwind Tutor for the National Youth Orchestra’s Inspire Programme, she curates repertoire, conducts ensembles, and designs workshops that nurture young musicians—not just as performers, but as people. Her teaching is rooted in care, curiosity, and emotional safety: an invitation to explore not only how music sounds, but how it feels—encouraging self-awareness, community, and joy through the act of music-making.

 

Representation and identity are core to Mana’s vision. As a Japanese, female, ethnic minority musician working within a historically Eurocentric field, she understands the challenges—and the power—of being visible. She is the creator of Jibun 自分, a project funded by Arts Council England and PRS Women Make Music, which centers East and Southeast Asian experiences within classical music. Through this work, Mana continues to ask: whose stories are told, and how might we tell them differently?

 

For Mana, music is not merely a form of expression—it is a way of being in the world, of listening carefully, of holding space for difference. Across every setting she inhabits, she brings with her a sense of curiosity, courage, and care.